Food drops for flooded Queensland outback towns

Food drops are set to be made in coming days to remote Queensland towns cut off by floodwaters, ahead of a potential cyclone which could dump more heavy rain.

Burketown and Doomadgee have been cut off and face significant rainfall due to the potential cyclone brewing in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said.

In towns cut off by flooding, food and water supplies might have to come by air or by water. Photo: Queensland Police Service

He added those towns have not yet requested food drops, but officials are looking to deliver supplies to the outback town of Richmond in the next 48 hours despite access problems.

"In areas where the trucks can't get through we can then utilise whether supplies have to come by air, by water, or even an escort where police bring the truck in under safe conditions," Mr Crawford said on Thursday.

He also urged residents around Mt Isa not to panic-buy diesel fuel, which is reportedly starting to run low in the area, saying tankers were in transit and would soon replenish supplies.

The minister said there was a strong likelihood of a cyclone forming in the Gulf in the coming days, but said it was more likely to hit the Northern Territory.

Towns around Lawnton and Doomadgee were urged to keep an eye on the system, with heavy rain expected to continue for at least another week.

Mr Crawford said the rain was welcome in many parts, but despite the deluge it wasn't enough to break many areas out of drought.

"I don't think we can really say the drought has broken unless we see follow-up rainfall in three, four weeks time," he said.

"Queensland's a very big state. We may be able to declare the drought broken in some parts, but not all."